It’s shocking how the modern workplace is undergoing significant changes. The skills that you got hired for might be irrelevant by 2026 due to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. AI has been developed to handle most of every task done by humans; therefore, it is essential that as an individual you develop and learn skills that will allow you to thrive in this modern world. In this article we will look at 2 skills that will matter most in 2026 and why it matters to develop yourself with the skills.
AI and Data Fluency.
What it is.
AI has grown to be the most fundamental pillar for the success and growth of every business. AI fluency is the ability to fully understand where AI excels and where its limitations lie so as to ask more appropriate questions to challenge its outcome.
You don’t need to be an expert in areas like data science; instead, you need a basic understanding of how AI functions, where its capabilities and limitations lie and how it uses data. For example, you don’t need an accounting qualification to make wise monetary decisions, but you should have a basic understanding of numbers to keep the business running. The same ideology works for AI.
- Why it matters
Here is the saddest truth: being unable to grasp how AI functions is like walking in a dark path; as a leader, you get stuck while trying to delegate, and projects go on standstill while resources are likely to be wasted while trying to make decisions, hence missing out on adventurous opportunities. Here is why AI fluency will matter in 2026:
- In finance: it helps individuals pick up errors, forecast and automate reconciliations. Fluency will allow deeper understanding of financial concepts, and you can ask AI for clarity and advice.
- Data literacy: Gives users the opportunity to gain insights on how AI uses data as well as understanding and detecting errors in results.
- Marketing: AI is useful in generating customer-forecasted content. Being fluent means having the ability to better understand and review its outcomes so that it fits your targeted audiences.
- Data Privacy: AI controls and keeps sensitive information private
- Income opportunities and how it makes money.
Tasks that used to take employees days and hours are now done in a matter of minutes, for example, coding, content creation and marketing research.
- AI prompt engineer salary ranges from 100k to 150k per year and is responsible for creating AI workflows for businesses.
- Freelancer: make use of platforms like Fiverr and Upwork to offer services in areas like content creation, coding and data analysis.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
What it is.
It is all about having the ability to control, understand, and interpret your own and other people’s emotions. It requires you to have a sense of self-awareness and empathy. Emotional intelligence is crucial because it assists in motivating others, it builds strong social and personal relationships and it reads social cues.
Why it matters
With the rise and integrations of AI in the world of business, people often feel like AI will replace them, but the truth is, despite how fast AI is growing, it cannot replace genuine empathy, unlike humans. Emotional intelligence is in the world of business in areas such as conflict resolution, leadership and negotiations.
AI cannot replicate genuine empathy. High EQ is vital for leadership, negotiation, and conflict resolution in increasingly diverse and hybrid teams.
Having the empathy to understand and manage emotions is crucial. Higher emotional intelligence shapes effective communication and allows interactions of individuals from different backgrounds.
Income opportunities and how it makes money.
High emotional intelligence is crucial in building virtual psychological safety nets for employees, and it improves productivity.
EQ can shape you to be an
- Executive coach: offer coaching services to employers, employees, schoolchildren or church members.
2. Senior HR: majors in culture and looks after employee relations.
By being able to learn these skills, you should try to enrol for side gigs to support your income by offering your services on different platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, where you will get paid for your expertise. By compiling your profile and starting small gigs, you can generate more side incomes.
Other skills to consider learning
- Innovation and creative thinking
- Digital marketing and growth hacking
- Cybersecurity awareness and digital risk management